Assiouob to the firestone tire



J. F. HOWER.

BUTT END TNNER TUBE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE l8. I915 RENEWED AUG. 15. I919.

Patented Oct. 7, l9l9.

W/ TNES'SES A TTORN/f V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOKII' I. HOW O1 ARBOR, OHIO, ABSIGNOB 'l'O 'I'HE I'IBEBIONE TIRE 6; RUBBER comm, OI AKRON, OHIO, A CORPORATION 03 OHIO.

BUTT-END INNER TUBE.

Patented Oct. '7, 1919.

Application fled June 1!, 1815, Ierlal Io. J75. Renewed August 16, 1919. Serial 17o. 817,811.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Joan Fnnonniox Hownn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Butt-End Inner Tubes, of which the following is a specification.

As is well known, tubes for bicycle or motorcycle tires are made discontinuous, so that they can be taken from the machine for repairing, without removing the wheels from the forks. In order to provide a locking connection for the ends of the tubes, various forms of joints have been devised, but they have been more or less unsatisfactory, and it has been the pu ose of this invention to improve tubes of t type in order to make a, perfect holding 'oint.

The improved form 0 tube is made with interlocking formations on male and female ends, the internal pressure on the tube serving to force the locking points of the joint together and any pull on the tube in a direction to separate the ends, will make the joint hold more securely. When even a small 'de" es of air pressure is present in the tube, it mes almost impossible to separate the ends by pulling them apart, and under the normal pressure in use, the tube is to all appearances and purposes, a continuous tube, and is in this condition absolutely inseparable.

In the drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like parts, is shown one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 is a pers active view of the two ends of the tube slig tly separated.

Fi 2 is a section through the tubes joined to er.

he main portion of the tube is represented in 1 and is an open ended tube. To the one end thereof, is secured the female or socket membe'r 2 of the joint, and to the other end, the male or plunger member 3 of thejoint. At the point nearest the inner end, these parts are skived away as shown at 4, in order not to present a well defined ridge or projection on the surface of the tube.

The part 2 will first be described, and it consists generally of a short section of tube made of slightly stouter material than the main portion of the tube, and provided at about its midway point with a transverse web 5, in the form of a cone, pointing inwardly, serving to close this end of the air tube. Beyond the web or closure 5, the socket or female portion is extended a short distance as designated at 6, and is then formed with a projecting ridge or head 7, providing a lug or toothed formation. In the'form shown, this toothed or beaded formation is ratchet shaped, the vertical face being on the inside of t e bead, and a long inclined face on the outside. It is not essential that the lug be in this shape, however, as any interlocking projection will answer the purpose. From the base of the head to its outer edge, the socket is adually tapered away and contracted in iameter as shown at 8, the outer edge being very flexible.

The plunger portion consists of a short section of heavier material secured to the other end of the main portion of the tube, and is given a gradual taper for about one half its length. At the end of this ta ered portion there is formed a bead or ri ge 9, which is preferabl of the same shape as the bead 7, but oppositely turned. It is not essential, however, that the two beads be of the same configuration. From the base of the bead 9, thls end of the tube is formed as a cylindrical tube 10, for a short distance and, when uninflated, of less diameter than the inner diameter of the female end, which terminates in a conical tip 11, of the same form as the socket 5.

When the tube is connected as shown in Fig. 2, and inflated, the internal pressure on the male end of the tube at the part 10, will expand the portion 10 which will tend to keep the tooth or ridge 9 straightened out, and prevent it from turning over or collapsing, and the tendency of the edge of the socket to contract, will hold the ridge or teeth 7 against bending over or collapsing. Conversely, any longitudinal strain on the teeth 7 and 9 tending to bend them over and release the ends of the tube, will move the part 8 outwardly, which action will be resisted by its contracted formation, and the part 10 inwardly, which action will be resisted by the pressure of the air in the tube. The conical tip 11 and the closure 5 fit snugly together, and will act in the same manner as though the tube were open at this point.

It. is obvious that various changes and modifications might be made in the exact form of the invention shown, without departing from the s irit thereof, or saenflcing an of its home ts, as at forth in the append claims.

Claims:

1. A butt-end inner tube com mm; a male and a female portion, the me e portion bein provided at a point e aced from the end ereof with an interloc formation, a. corms ndin interlocking motion on the insi e of said female gortion, a normelllvl cylindrical body on sai male end whic expands to prevent the overturning of said interlocking formation on the male end when the tube is inflated, and c n intm'ned flexible lip at the mouth of said female portion which revents the overturning of the in-- terloclnng formation on the female end.

2. A butt'end inner tube com rising a male and a female portion, the ma e portion bem provided at a point a need from the end reof with en interloc 'ng formation, a co ondmg interlocking formation on the uni e of said female rtion, and an intu 'ned flexible lip at t e mouth of said female portion which prevents the overturning of the'mterlocking formation on the female end.

JOHN F. HOWERL Witness:

J. J. Sam. 

